Metal machining involves vibratory forces that result from interactions of a cutting tool with a workpiece or part to be machine finished. Vibrations induced by such interactions create adverse effects on cutting tool life cycles, are deleterious to workpiece or part surface quality, and may produce hazardous noise pollution. Magneto rheological technology is known to reduce cutting tool vibration and associated tool chatter during machining processes involving workpieces held within fixtures. Known magneto rheological damping systems utilize electric currents to modify magnetic fields to produce variable stiffness of rheological fluids for damping effect. As such, rheological fluids are able to effectively and dynamically shift frequency ranges in-situ during machining of workpieces by automatically varying viscosities of a particular rheological damping fluid being used.
Although sophistication levels of damping systems have continued to advance, there remain certain deficiencies and/or limitations. For example, some damping systems require the placement of weights on workpieces or machine tool structures during the machining process. Since the weights must be physically removed, replaced, and/or shifted about as the machining progresses, workers are required to enter and exit the machine environment.
In addition, most magneto rheological damping systems involve only linear damping capabilities, thus providing damping along a single axis, such as only along either a lateral or a side-to-side axis. Further, since volume or mass of a part or workpiece is reduced during its actual machining, levels of stiffness of the rheological fluid are not adjusted in real time to fully accommodate changing workpiece vibration characteristics.
It is therefore desirable to provide improved magneto rheological fixture damping systems.